Battle of the Desert Icons: Mojave vs Sonoran

I will share images of a few birds observed in Gilbert, Arizona and St George, Utah as I made my way back to Utah July 24th, but first I want to share evidence of a very slow moving battle I witnessed between the icons of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts along Highway 93 in Arizona.

A Little Background
Marrying a southern California girl resulted in frequent trips from Utah to southern California. When we traveled with our children I would often point to the icon of the Mojave Desert and declare, "That's a Joshua Tree!" As the kids got older they would beat their old man to the punch and say, "Hey, Dad. Do you know what that is? It's a Joshua Tree!"

When our daughter married a young man from Chandler, Arizona we began making trips from Utah to the Phoenix area. As a matter of family tradition I would announce, "That's a Saguaro!" when we'd see our first one on the way to Phoenix.

Battle of the Desert Icons
I had always associated Joshua Trees with the Mojave and Saguaros with the Sonoran Desert. It wasn't until our most recent trip to Gilbert, Arizona that we took a new route. On the advice of our son in law, we drove Highway 93 to State Road 74 (aka Carefree Highway). The usual route of Highway 89 through Paige, Arizona was not an option since the road south of Paige was out of commission. As we drove along 93 I was surprised to see a Joshua Tree. Before I knew it there were more Joshua Trees and the road actually took on the name of Joshua Tree Parkway. "What are Joshua Trees doing in the Sonoran Desert? Are we in the Mojave Desert?"

As we continued our drive we saw Joshua Trees and Saguaros right next to each other.  I felt like I had just made a Columbus-like discovery. My two favorite deserts were merging. I shared my discovery with my wife hoping she'd appreciate what we were seeing and warm up to the idea of stopping for some photos. She did not share my level of enthusiasm and was anxious to get to Gilbert so I made a mental note to stop and get photos of this amazing place on the way home (I'd be driving home by myself).

I spent an hour engaged in speed birding at the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch the morning I was leaving to return to Utah. I also did some speed birding at Tonaquint Park in St George, but the most fun I had was the drive between those to birding spots. The images below were taken along Highway 93 between Wickenburg and Wikieup  Click here to learn more about that stretch of the road. I did my best to document the battle of the desert icons at several stops along the way. I had never seen a Joshua Tree and a Saguaro anywhere near each other--they were always hundreds of miles apart until my first drive along Highway 93.



I was quite impressed by how robust the Joshua Trees appeared and had a hard time deciding which ones to photograph. I settled for the one below because of the Creosote Bushes in the foreground and the blue sky in the background.

Joshua Tree with Creosote Bushes in Foreground Yavapai County, AZ

Further along the road I saw evidence that these desert icons were actually trying to stake their territory by intimidating one another. You can see that the Saguaro below has actually intimidated the young Joshuas to the point of them bowing at its feet.



Just meters away was a Joshua Tree sneaking up from behind on a still-confident Saguaro. Joshua was raising his arms and preparing to unleash a terrifying scream on the unsuspecting Saguaro.



After witnessing and documenting the desert battle I was relieved to discover that one mighty Saguaro was dedicated to providing direction to travelers along Highway 93. He was very faithful in his service because he was standing in the very same place on the way down to and back from Gilbert.

Now The Birds on Both Ends of the Desert Battle Ground:
On my way out of Gilbert, as mentioned previously, I did a very quick walk-through of the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch. Because I moved quickly I had to be opportunistic with photos. The first willing subject was a female American Wigeon.

Female American Wigeon Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

The distinct cooing of Inca Doves caught my attention so I spent about ten minutes tracking down on the other side of one of the Preserve's ponds.

Inca Dove Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Inca Dove Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

It wouldn't be a trip to the preserve without seeing the ubiquitous Curve-billed Thrashers.

Young Curve-billed Thrasher Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Curve-billed Thrasher Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Curve-billed Thrasher Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

I found Northern Mockingbirds looking rather normal yet fluffy...

Northern Mockingbird Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

...and rather odd. This bird didn't quite have the fully developed plumage .

Northern Mockingbird Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

I captured the image of the Canada Goose below because the band was so visible. I wanted to report the band to the North American Bird Banding Program and learn where it was originally banded. I submitted the image, band number, and location to www.reportband.gov. About a week or so later I received a certificate of appreciation which provided the location and date of the bird's banding. I was hoping for an exotic location, but it turned out that this goose was banded June 26, 2009 at Chaparral Park in Scottsdale, about 15 miles from where I photographed the bird. Apparently, this bird returns to the same general area for the breeding season. B58 is a female according to the bander.

Tagged Canada Goose Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Snowy Egrets were foraging on most of the ponds at the preserve. This one was very cooperative as I was hurrying back to my car after to begin the road trip back to northern Utah.

Snowy Egret Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Snowy Egret Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Since I was the only one in the car on the way back to Utah I stopped a number of times to photograph plants and landscapes. Below is a Prickly Pear Cactus near the multi-directional Saguaro I shared earlier in this post.

Prickly Pear Cactus on Highway 93 in Arizona

Male Apache Cicadas were using the "timbals" on the sides of their abdomens to make a lot of noise in hopes of attracting females. Adults only live for a few weeks. This guy was quite noisy so I decided to capture an image. Cicadas are the only bugs in the world that can sweat during the hottest days of summer. These cicadas spend most of their lives in underground burrows, but individuals emerge in three to five year cycles to breed. They are not considered pests and do not harm people. They don't even bite. If a bird were to pick up a male cicada it would be in for quite a shock when the cicada turns its whole body into a rattling noisemaker made of armor. Female cicadas, on the other hand might become a delicious meal, especially if it were laden with eggs.

Apache Cicada Along Highway 93 Yavapai County, AZ

I know nothing about the plants of the Sonoran Desert so I consulted with a local botanist and was informed that this plant is Nolina bigelovii. It is often called Bigelow's Nolina and Beargrass. I liked seeing them stand out with the light yellow flowering stems.

Bigelow's Nolina Along Highway 93 in Arizona

This scene included several of the desert plants that fascinated me along Highway 93--Creosote, Nolina, and Saguaro. What other plants can be identified in this image? Please share what you see when you leave a comment at the end of the post.

I stopped at Tonaquint Nature Center in St George for my last stop on my way home. The park was quite due to the lingering heat of the afternoon, but I did hear the song of my favorite summertime passerine, a bright male Blue Grosbeak. I followed his song and captured a few images before completing the last 3.5 hour segment of my return trip home.

Blue Grosbeak at Tonaquint Nature Center in St George, UT

Blue Grosbeak at Tonaquint Nature Center in St George, UT

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird

Seeing and photographing a male Calliope Hummingbird at my front porch feeder this past week was a real treat. The story and images of that bird and other hummingbirds can be viewed by clicking here.

After not seeing the Calliope Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning I turned my attention to the backyard feeder because I had noticed a male Rufous Hummingbird sporadically at that feeder. I wondered if it might still be around or had possibly moved further south on its annual migration through Utah to Mexico. While the Calliope may have moved on it pleased me to discover that the male Rufous Hummingbird at the back feeder was still around AND it was actually a "green-backed" adult male Rufous. My Sibley Guide to Birds of Western North America indicates that green-backed adult males make up about 5% of the total adult male population. Naturally I became eager to photograph and study the bird because there was an even smaller chance I'd have an Allen's Hummingbird. Their range this time of year is the California and west Mexico coasts. Both birds look very similar in appearance. However, Allen's are expected to have a mostly green back and rump where the green-backed Rufous would likely have a rufous-colored rump. The best way to distinguish between the two is to get a good look at their tail feathers. The Rufous has two notched feathers, one on each side of the two central tail feathers, where Allen's have tapered feathers.

After finishing a meal with my wife and mother in law and cleaning the kitchen I began to set up my green-backed Rufous Hummingbird lab in the back yard. I set up my blind with the sun at my back. Inside I placed a camp chair and a small electric fan. I then ran an extension cord so I could actually use the fan inside the blind because it can feel like a sauna inside that blind on hot summer days.

The target bird briefly appeared at the feeder about every fifteen minutes. After about an hour it finally landed where I could get the images I was hoping to get--the green back and the tail feathers in a full spread.

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

Here's a typical male for comparison. There are no green feathers on the back and very few on the crown.

Typical Adult Male Rufous Hummingbird Utah County, UT

The rest of the green-backed Rufous images were captured with his wings in some stage of flight.

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

The next three images provide the telltale (pun intended) sign this is a Rufous rather than an Allen's adult male. The feathers on each side of the two central tail feathers had the notch expected for Rufous and not for Allen's.

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

Green-backed Male Rufous Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Yard Feeder

Here's a few more images from today. Enjoy!

Subadult Male Rufous Hummingbird Pleasant Grove, UT

Subadult Male Rufous Hummingbird Pleasant Grove, UT

Subadult Male Rufous Hummingbird Pleasant Grove, UT

Who will win this stare down? I watched these two encounter each other over and over. The bird gave way to the wasp in every encounter.

Young Male Rufous Hummingbird Being Challenged by Wasp in Pleasant Grove, UT

Calliope Hummingbird: My Unexpected Visitor

I've been feeding hummingbirds in my Pleasant Grove, Utah yard for several summers now. I usually start seeing Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds (images provided below) arriving from Mexico around mid- to late April as a result of their spring migration. The Black-chinned remain common at lower-elevation yard feeders throughout the summer, but the Broad-tailed prefer to take up residence in the coniferous forests of our nearby mountains.

Fall is my favorite of the two hummingbird migrations through northern Utah. It begins around mid-July and lasts about six to eight weeks. I enjoy fall more because Broad-tailed and two more species of hummingbird can suddenly join the Black-chinned at yard feeders.  The most common of the two additional fall migrants is the Rufous (ruu-fuss) Hummingbird. I don't see them often in spring because they migrate, as do many other birds, in a clockwise pattern. They typically go up the west coat from Mexico toward the American northwest, western Canada, and the coast of Alaska in the spring and then down through the Rocky Mountain states in the summer (fall migration). It could be that flowers along the coast provide a great food source in the spring and the mountains are better to pass in the late summer season. Rufous are very territorial when they stake a claim on a yard feeder and often buzz or dive bomb the Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds who try to sip from "their" feeder.

The less commonly-seen hummingbird species during our summer in northern Utah is the Calliope (Ka-lie-a-pee). I usually see one a year by traveling a great distance to where one has been located by others. The Calliope is the smallest hummingbird in North America north of Mexico. It is about 3.25 inches long or anywhere from .5 to .75 inches shorter than the other hummingbirds I've mentioned. The male Calliope has a striking gorget (throat feathers) when the light hits it just right. I've positively confirmed the identity of one female Calliope so they are even more difficult to locate in my part of Utah. Perhaps their lack of a striking gorget is part of the reason they blend in with other female hummingbirds and go unidentified.

On August 1st I came home from work and was delighted to have a male Calliope at my front porch feeder. I captured some images that night and am sharing several of them now. I was sitting in a camp chair with a light between my knees trained on the feeder when I captured these images--gotta be creative and improvise sometimes. Because my perspective and the light source come from the same angle the colorful reflection from the bird's gorget is minimized in these images. The Calliope has been making appearances at my feeder for three days straight as of this post.

The long tongue is partially revealed in this image.

Male Calliope Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Feeder

Male Calliope Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Feeder

Male Calliope Hummingbird at Pleasant Grove, UT Feeder

The images below were captured last summer (2012) at a feeder in Tabiona, UT. These images allow you to see the gorget in more natural light.

Male Calliope Hummingbird in Tabiona, UT

Male Calliope Hummingbird in Tabiona, UT

If you want to have some fun experiences during spring and summer months and a talking point for visitors to your home, hang up a feeder or two. Mix one part sugar to four parts water and watch the birds come. Be sure the sugar is completely dissolved before putting it in your feeder. Sugar water can ferment in the hot sun so clean the feeder and change the water every couple of days to avoid mold and fermentation. If you heat the water to dissolve the sugar be sure to let it cool before putting it into the feeder. No one like to burn their tongue!

Images of the other hummingbird species mentioned in this post are shown below.  

Female Black-chinned Hummingbird Utah County, UT

Male Black-chinned Hummingbird St George, UT

The image below reveals a blue/purple border at the base of the gorget. It is more easily seen when in direct sunlight.

Male Black-chinned Hummingbird St George, UT

The male Broad-tailed Hummingbird below has some pollen showing at the upper base of the bill.

Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird Tabiona, UT

The Broad Tail of a Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird Utah County, UT

Female Broad-tailed Hummingbirds lack the gorget feathers of the adult male, but the rest of the plumage is similar to the male.

Female Broad-tailed Hummingbird Utah County, UT

Male Rufous Hummingbird Washington County, UT

Male Rufous Hummingbird Tabiona, UT

Male Rufous and Male Calliope Hummingbirds in Tabiona, UT

The full throat of the young male Rufous below will be completely covered in brilliant color when it becomes a full adult. What appears to be greenish lines on the throat will develop into fuller gorget feathers.

Subadult Male Rufous Hummingbird Tabiona, UT

Adult female Rufous Hummingbirds show a central spot of colored throat feathers.

Female Rufous Hummingbird Pleasant Grove, UT